Jeff Tarte’s vaccination argument goes up in smoke

The Republican state senator from Cornelius introduced a bill that would make vaccinations mandatory for children attending school. It would end religious exemptions from vaccinations.

“The intent is not to violate religious freedom in any way, shape or form,” Tarte said. But he added, “Your rights stop at the point you start impinging on anybody else’s rights.”

Tarte is suggesting that the right of children and others to be free from diseases that have been virtually eradicated through vaccination should not be threatened, or “impinged,” by people who refuse to have their kids vaccinated. Most Americans agree. Some don’t.

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What cannot be disputed is this: Requiring the vaccination forces an action upon another human being. The mandate causes the children who would not be vaccinated to have their flesh pierced by a needle and fluid injected into their very bodies, on order of Government.

Days after Tarte made his valiant stand to support the disease-free right of some Americans by forcing a medicinal procedure on others, Rep. Kelly Alexander introduced a bill to allow people the right to avail themselves of a medicinal procedure that would cause no incursion whatsoever on anyone else. Senator Tarte was quick to object.

Alexander is proposing people be allowed to avail themselves of marijuana for medical use. Cue the hysterics.

“You see the states with medical use, it bleeds into recreational use. It’s the first domino,” Tarte said.

Perfect, senator.

Forget the fact that medical marijuana is legal in 22 states, going back almost 20 years, and all of three have legalized recreational use.

Forget the debate over how effective marijuana is or isn’t as a medicine. There are countless medicines that are legal but not entirely effective.

Forget the distortions about how addictive marijuana is or isn’t. The most deadly abused drug in the U.S. today is by far the prescription opioid. Deaths related to painkillers totaled 16,235 in 2013 according to the Centers for Disease Control, but government lets people take them.

Forget that most Americans have awakened to the unholy alliance of alcohol marketers, drug manufacturers, and GuvCo that created and perpetuates the madness about reefer that has permeated this country.

Forget all that because it’s as simple as this: The senator from Cornelius is correct. The essence of the liberty upon which this country was founded is that people should be free to do as they please so long as they’re not stepping on someone else’s freedom. Forcing a person to get vaccinated against their (or their parents') will clearly impinges on their freedom, but allowing a person to take marijuana medicinally impinges on no one else.